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NAHLN-NBAF Partnership

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A review team comprising experts from APHIS, the National Bio and Agro-Defense

Facility (NBAF), and NAHLN identified five key NAHLN facilities across the country to

each host a scientist to work on this collaborative project. 

These scientists are to specialize in evaluating and developing diagnostics for animal

and zoonotic diseases. They are tasked with collaborating across the organizations

and responsible for evaluating local, regional, national, and international threats and

ensuring the NAHLN laboratories have the tools necessary to diagnose emerging

threats.

Learn more about NAHLN

Learn more about NBAF

Host Laboratories
These five NAHLN laboratories were selected by the NAHLN coordination team to

host a scientist for the new NAHLN-NBAF Partnership to Improve Early Detection of

Emerging Diseases:

Region State Laboratory Focus

 1 New York

Cornell University

Animal Health

Diagnostic Center &

New York State

Veterinary Diagnostic

Laboratory

This Level 1 NAHLN laboratory will focus

on the development of next generation

sequencing and improved molecular and

serological assays for emerging,

reemerging, and high-consequence

infectious diseases of livestock,

domestic, and wildlife species.

2 Virginia Virginia Tech Animal

Laboratory Services

This Level 2 NAHLN laboratory will focus

on molecular diagnostics and molecular

epidemiology with an emphasis on

massively parallel sequencing in a

diagnostic setting.
Region State Laboratory Focus

3 Michigan

Michigan State

University Veterinary

Diagnostic Laboratory

This Level 1 NAHLN laboratory will

leverage its Emerging Technology

Committee to identify next-generation

technologies to enhance infectious

disease detection in multiple species.

4 Arizona Arizona Veterinary

Diagnostic Laboratory

This Level 2 NAHLN laboratory will focus

on next generation sequencing to detect

novel disease across the U.S./Mexico

border.

5 Washington

Washington Animal

Disease Diagnostic

Laboratory

This Level 1 NAHLN laboratory will focus

on next generation sequencing and

surveillance test development for highconsequence diseases in avian

production and aquaculture and at the

livestock-wildlife interface from Alaska

across the U.S./Canada border.

The overarching goal of the NAHLN-NBAF Partnership is to expand the reach of NBAF

while simultaneously enhancing the capabilities and capacities of the NAHLN. Fiscal

year (FY) 2024 marks the first year that the NAHLN-NBAF Partnership will be

implemented.

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About the Partnership

Organization

The NBAF Partnership Funds Program provided funding for these laboratories as part

of an overall strategy to help prevent animal pests and diseases from entering the

United States and reduce the spread and impact of potential disease incursions

through advance planning and preparedness.

Vision

The projected 4-year program will enhance the Nation’s veterinary diagnostic

laboratory systems to respond to immediate, emerging animal health threats with
improved diagnostics to sustain the U.S. agricultural well-being.

Mission

To improve detection of significant emerging and foreign animal diseases through

four major objectives:

1. The regional scientist, in coordination with NBAF and NAHLN leadership, will

develop and implement regional risk assessment. The assessments will

evaluate species priorities within the region, forecast emerging disease threats

and produce matrices to assist with risk mitigation strategies.

2. The regional scientist and host laboratories will utilize their subject matter

expertise to evaluate current diagnostic assay capabilities and develop novel

tests, systems, and procedures to recognize emerging animal disease threats

earlier.

3. With guidance from the NAHLN Program Office, the regional scientist will help

develop response preparedness with gap and needs analysis, preparation of

supply stockpiles to respond in emergencies, and participation in realistic

evaluations through periodic exercises.

4. Finally, the regional scientist will communicate and collaborate with other

NAHLN members to ensure program products can be applied to the greatest

extent possible.

Program Objectives

Ultimately, the partnership program will develop an emerging disease response

plan based on regional risk assessments and engagement of stakeholders to

communicate program priorities.

The NAHLN Program Office will coordinate scientist activities and liaise with

NBAF leadership to establish program priorities by species and disease.